Basic Principles and Techniques of Superadobe Design and Building
Superadobe is a special type of soil base building method, where instead of using individual structural building elements (such as bricks or dimensional lumber) , a mixture of local soil, water, and in some cases stabilizer, is filled into long, woven polypropylene tubes and placed in a predetermined geometry to achieve maximum strength. The technology was developed by Nader Khalili architect in the early 1980s, combining traditional middle-eastern architecture, with modern but readily available materials.
This six day workshop will cover all of the elements of the academic theory behind the method, while at the same time it is focused on hands on exercises and actual building work.
The theoretical classes will cover
- the principle of architectural geometry,
- soil composition and modification,
- waterproofing,
- building operation systems,
- design and place openings
The practical field work will include:
- wall bases
- making the mixture
- bag and barbed wire measuring and cutting
- bag filling
- compassing
- bag closing
- form building and placing
- arch building
- waterproofing
- surface finishing
Prerequisite: None
Available dates: 9/2/2017-9/7/2017
Donation: $980
Financial Aid: Available here
Gaia Earthen Technologies 